SKH-25c-1999P-01(DE) Spiked Head

Description

Accompanied by reverse die cracks noted with "black arrows" in the catalog, this first documented spiked head on the 1999 Philadelphia Mint Delaware State Quarter holds historical significance as a variety from the inaugural issue of the fifty-state quarter program. The Delaware quarter, released on January 4, 1999, was the first of fifty state designs issued over ten years, and the program ignited the greatest wave of coin collecting interest in American history. A spiked head occurs when a die crack or die break near the top of Washington's head on the obverse fills with metal during striking, producing a raised spike or protrusion extending from the portrait. The "(DE)" suffix in the catalog number identifies the specific Delaware reverse design, necessary because the State Quarters program produced five different reverses each year. The reverse die cracks documented in the comments indicate this die was experiencing deterioration on both sides simultaneously. The 1999-P Delaware quarter had an enormous mintage as the program's premiere issue attracted widespread public demand. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins on October 24, 2018, spiked head varieties on State Quarters combine the popular spiked head error type with the highly collected State Quarter series, making them appealing to both error variety specialists and series collectors pursuing complete sets.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Pietro Terranova
• Cross reference: none. 10/24/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References